Means for preventing swinging of padlocks



1969 A. M. CORYNWELL, JR 7 3,482,422

MEANS FOR PREVENTING SWINGING OF PADLOCKS Filed April 16, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l2 u I I' |||l|| V P l5 /|5 I6 I? I3 INVENTOR 24 ALEXANDER M. CORNWELLMR ATT'YI Dec. 9, 1969 A, M. CORNWELL, JR 3,432,422

MEANS FOR PREVENTING SWINGING OF PADLOCKS Filed April 16, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Emm l 76 69 ea 67'66 65 INVENTOR ALEXANDER M CORN WELL, JR

BY MTT'Y.

United States Patent 3,482,422 MEANS FOR PREVENTING SWINGING 0F PADLOCKS Alexander M. Cornwell, Jr., Ladue, Mo., assignor to Jackes-Evans Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo.,

a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 721,726 Int. Cl. E05b 65/44, 67/06 US. Cl. 70-78 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Means for preventing swinging of padlocks when suspended from the padlock eye of a locker door handle by the padlock shackle. Such means can include lugs on the shackle to engage opposite side faces of the handle.

This invention relates to a new and improved means for preventing lateral swinging of shackle-suspended padlocks when used for locking handles on locker doors and similar applications.

Locker installations have become commonplace in schools, clubs, churches, offices, industry and other areas of use for providing storage. For convenience of description, the present invention will be described with reference to locker installations commonly found in schools, however, as will be appreciated, the solution presented by the present invention is applicable to solve a problem which is common in most locker installations and similar types of applications, regardless where used.

Locker installations are provided for the students books and personal belongings in most schools. Generally, these are located on opposite sides of the halls or corridors. Each student provides his own lock for security of his belongings. The use of combination and key-operated padlocks is commonplace and the body of the lock is ususally suspended by the U-shaped shackle which is received in the padlock eye in the handle or hasp on the locker. One problem which has developed as a result of such use is the tendency for the body of the lock, as it swings from the padlock eye, to strike the locker door or frame, causing scuffing, chipping or abrading of the protective finish on the locker. Once the protective finish has been penerated, the locker becomes susceptible to corrosion, not to mention its undesirable appearance.

One step has been taken in the design of the locker door handle to partially alleviate this problem. A striking plate has been formed in the handle to engage the padlock body to maintain it in spaced relation to the face or locker door surface. This has provided a measure of protection, however, is only effective when the lock is suspended in a generally vertical position. As oftentimes happens, the lock is intentionally or accidentally bumped or, when released after looking, swings laterally of the handle when the lock body may freely come into contact with the locker door face, causing scufiing or scratching of the finish as well as generating undesirable noise. This problem is far more prevalent in schools where the location of the locker on busy-traveled corridors gives rise to greater abuse. It is not an uncommon occurrence for more youthful students, whn walking through the corridors, to drag their books, hands or similar objects along the locker faces at an elevation where they will engage each padlock on each locker. As

3,482,422 Patented Dec. 9, 1969 a result, the body of the lock is swung about the shackle into engagement with the door, resulting in considerable noise and damage to the painted finish and protective coatings on the locker, particularly in the area on opposite sides of the handle where the striking plate is ineffective. In addition to being more susceptible to corrosion, the lockers present a very poor appearance, necessitating repeated touch-up and/or repainting. Because of the ever-present temptation to drag books, hands and other objects along the locker faces to rattle the locks, the cycle is endless.

The present invention provides a simplified answer to this problem which has plagued architects, school officials and those having the responsibility of maintenance of schools, churches, factories, clubs and ofiices which utilize lockers for storage and security reasons. The present invention complements the existing strike plate in that once the lock is installed through the shackle opening in the handle, means becomes operative to prevent lateral swinging of the padlock, precluding engagement with the locker door with its adverse consequences. Several variations of such means can be used. For example, lug means may be formed integral with the shackle in spaced-apart relation so as to engage opposite side faces of the locker handle to prevent swinging of the padlock. In one form, these lugs consisted of a pair of projections coined on the bight of the shackle in spaced-apart relation and adapted to engage the vertically extending side faces of the locker handle. These projections may be located on the outer or inner cirmumference of the bight of the shackle. In one form of the invention, the padlock eye or shackle opening in the locker handle is of generally elliptical shape to allow free passage of the lugs during insertion of the shackles as long as the shackle is in a generally horizontal plane. After the shackle is inserted and the body of the lock is released, it will engage the strike plate on the handle, rotating the lugs into a generally vertical position for operative engagement with opposite side faces of the locker handle to preclude lateral swinging.

In a more simplified form of the invention having lug means, the lugs are formed by providing a plurality of serrations or grooves transversely of the arcuate end or bight portion of the shackle. These grooves are adapted to receive side wall portions of the locker handle to prevent lateral swinging of the padlock. Obviously, other variations are suggested to the man skilled in the art once the generic concept is known.

The advantages of the present invention are that, in certain forms of the invention, the locks are capable of uses in other applications where swinging is not a problem. The anti-swing means may be incorporated in the present lock manufacturing process without adversely affecting the competitive cost.

The present invention operates to prevent damage to the protective finish on the locker because it prevents swinging of the padlock when suspended from the shackle. When locks of this type are used, it will deter students from dragging their books, hands or other object along the face of the locker door, as little noise will be generated. Other advantages will become apparent when the objects of the invention are considered in conjunction with the drawings and a detailed description of the invention.

It is a object of this invention to provide a new, and improved means for preventing swinging of padlocks.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved lug means formed in the shackle of a padlock to cooperate with a handle to prevent swinging of the padlock.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new and improved locker handle and lock combination having a novel means to prevent swinging of the padlock.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new and improved locker handle and padlock arrangement, the locker handle having a padlock eye of noncircular shape to permit passage of a horizontally-oriented padlock shackle having projecting lug means, the projecting lug means being rotated to a vertical position to engage the handle when the lock body is released after insertion of the shackle.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new and improved lug means on a shackle of a conventional padlock, the lug means being arranged in spaced relation and disposed for operative engagement with opposite side faces of a locker handle to prevent lateral swinging of the padlock.

Objects in addition to those specifically stated will become apparent upon consideration of the drawings and detailed description which follows.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a locker arrangement illustrating the general relation of a handle assembly and lock in a conventional-type locker installation;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a locker handle assembly and padlock incorporating the anti-swing means of the present invention with the locker and frame shown fragmentarily;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged front elevational view of the locker handle and padlock shown in FIGURE 2 with part of the handle broken away to illustrate the anti-swing means;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the lock shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 with the locker door in section;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, illustrating a modified form of antiswing means on the padlock with parts of the handle broken away to show a modified form of anti-swing means;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a locker handle and shackle having a modified form of anti-swing means with the shackle also shown in phantom lines in a position assumed when preventing swinging; and

FIGURE 8 is a top, free-body developed plan view of the shackle shown in FIGURE 7.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, reference numeral 10 indicates a fragmentary front-elevational view of a locker installation including a framework 11 having a plurality of openings 12 closed off by locker doors 13 suspended by conventional hinges 14. Each locker door 13 is provided with a lift-type handle assembly 15. Locking of the handle; assembly is accomplished through the use of a padlock, indicated generally at 16. As is well-known, when the padlock 16 is removed, the handle assembly may be elevated, causing unlatching of the locker door 13 and permitting access. While the foregoing invention will be described with respect to lift-type locker handles, it is obvious that the principles involved are applicable to other types of handles such as sliding, rotating or the like.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the handle assembly is illustrated in enlarged perspective view, including a lifttype handle 17 which is mounted for movement relative to the face of the locker door 13. The handle mounting may be of the type described in co-pending application Ser. No. 555,586, filed June 6, 1966, and entitled Locker Handle Access Control Lock, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

As seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, the handle 17 is hollow and covers an obstruction means 20 having a shoulder 21 which is located slightly above padlock receiving eyes 22 and 22 formed in the handle 17. When the shackle 23 of the padlock 16 is inserted through the eye 22, movement of the handle 17 relative to the obstruction means 20 is prevented by the shackle 23 engaging the shoulder 21. In this position, the top of the body 24 of the padlock 16 engages a striker surface 25 (FIGURE 4) formed integral with the handle 17, operating to maintain the lock body 24 in spaced relation to the surface of the door 13. A plug-type lock 26 is carried in the upper portion of the handle and is operative to permit by-passing of the primary locking means (lock 16) to gain access to the locker in the manner described in the above-identified co-pending application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference.

Reference now to FIGURES 24, the shackle 23 of the padlock 16 is provided with a pair of integral lug means 30 and 31, formed by coining the bight of the shackle 23 to provide a smooth guide surface, rising out of the shackle 23 and terminating in oppositely facing shoulders 32 and 33 which are adapted for engagement with side faces 34 and 35, respectively, of the handle 17. This relationship is best illustrated in the broken-away view of FIGURE 3.

As illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 4, the padlock eye 22 is of non-circular shape such as oval or elliptical shape, with the major axis disposed in a generally horizontal plane and the minor axis being generally vertically positioned. In this manner, the shackle of the padlock may be easily inserted by positioning the legs of the shackle 23 in a generally horizontal plane and inserting the free end through the padlock eye 22. The smooth guide surface on the lug means 31 aids in locating and guiding the shackle 23 through the padlock eye 22. When the bight is positioned in the padlock eye 22 and the free leg of the shackle 23 is located and locked in the padlock body 24 in a conventional manner, the act of releasing the lock will cause gravity to move it to the position shown in FIGURES 24 so that the shoulders 32 and 33 on the lug means 30 and 31, respectively, are rotated to a vertical position where they will overlap the side faces 34 and 35 of the handle 17. In this position, any lateral force applied to the padlock body 24 will be absorbed by the handle and relative movement of the padlock body from side to side, as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 3, is positively prevented.

The shacke 23 of the padlock 16 may be readily removed by unlocking and releasing the free leg of the shackle 23, moving the legs of the shackle to a generally horizontal plane so that the lugs 30 and 31 will freely pass through the non-circular padlock eye 22 along the major axis. It is contemplated that the dimension of the major axis of the padlock eye 22 will be slightly greater than the combined dimension of the shackle diameter and height of the lugs or projections 30 and 31 to permit easy passage of the shackle 23 during locking and unlocking.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6. A locker installation of the type shown in FIGURES 1-4 and having a door (shown fragmentarily at 40) is positioned within a frame (shown fragmentarily at 41). Disposed for movement on the door is a locker handle assembly, indicated generally by the reference numeral 42 and including a lifting handle 43 which is hollow in the central region to receive an ob: struction means 44, in a manner similar to the handle and obstruction arrangement shown in FIGURES l-4.

A padlock 45 having a body 46 and shackle 47 is located with the bight or arcuate end of the shackle 47 positioned in padlock eyes 48 and 49 formed in opposite side walls of the handle 43. As is evident in the side elevational view of FIGURE 6, the padlock eye 48 of this embodiment is of conventional circular configuration. The bight portion of the shackle 47 is formed with a pair of lugs 50 and 51, similar to the lugs 30 and 31 in the embodiment of FIGURES 14, however, lugs 50 and 51 are formed on the inside of the bight to engage opposite sides of the handle 43 when the lock is in the freely suspended position with the body 46 engaging'the striker plate 52. The weight of the lock causes the lugs 50 and 51 to be brought into engagement with the side faces of the handle 43. Since the padlock eyes 48 and 49 in the handle 43 are of conventional shape and size, the combined dimension of the lugs 50 and shackle diameter will be slightly less than the padlock eye openings 48 and 49 to facilitate entry of the shackle 47. This design permits a padlock having an anti-swing means to be used with a conventional-type of handle.

In FIGURE 7, a handle assembly 60 of the type shown in FIGURES 1-6 is shown in enlarged fragmentary elevation with the face of-the handle broken away in the region of the padlock eyes 61 and 62. An obstructing means of the type shown at 20 and 44 in FIGURES 3-6 is indicated by reference character 63 and cooperates with a shackle 64 and the padlock eyes 61 and 62 to prevent elevation of the handle 60 and opening of the locker when the shackle is positioned as shown.

The shackle 64 is provided with a plurality of serrations or grooves 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 and 70 which form lug means 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75 and shown in FIGURES 7 and 8.

If force is applied to the lock resulting in a tendency for it to swing, one of the lug means will engage the side wall 80 of the handle 60, as shown in phantom. This will prevent the lock body from swinging further. Similarly, forces applied to the lock tend to rotate it in the opposite direction, then one of the other lugs will engage the opposite side wall 81 in the handle 60 to prevent swinging in the opposite direction. Obviously, the grooves which form the lug means may be provided on the underside of the bight or arcuate portion of the shackle 64 for engagement with the walls 80 and 81 when the lock is freely suspended. Another form of the invention which is contemplated to be within the scope of this invention is the use of a single transverse notch or keyway in the shackle which, when positioned in the padlock eyes, engages pposite side faces of the obstruction plate or a cooperating key formed in the handle. Obviously, other variations of this generic concept are possible.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURES -8 has the added benefit of being applicable to locker designs having a standard circular padlock eye. Also, these locks may be applied to other uses without modification where the anti-swing means is non-functional. It is apparent that through the implementation of the present invention in existing locker installations, lateral swinging of the padlock is positivel precluded with the result that the noise level will be considerably reduced and scuffing, chipping or scratching of the locker finish will be avoided. It is to be appreciated that the present invention permits it to be incorporated in existing lock manufacturing lines without materially affecting the cost of the finished product.

Upon a consideration of the foregoing, it will become obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the invention embodied herein.

I claim:

1. In a locker installation having a door wherein a handle is mounted on said door for movement relative thereto, movement of said handle operating to release a catch and permit opening of said door, said handle having an opening therethrongh to receive the shackle of a locking means and an obstruction means is disposed on said door to cooperate with said shackle of said locking means to prevent movement of said handle and unauthorized opening of said door, the improvement comprising means to prevent lateral swinging of said locking means in the plane of said shackle relative to said handle, thereby to prevent engagement of said locker door by said locking means.

2. The improvement in locker installations as defined in claim 1 wherein said means to prevent swinging of said locking means relative to said handle includes lug means formed on said shackle, said lug means being engageable with opposite side faces of said handle to prevent lateral swinging of said locking means.

3. The improvement in locking means as defined in claim 2 wherein said lug means comprises a pair of laterally spaced projections, each of said projections rising beyond the surface of said shackle and having oppositely facing shoulders for engagement with opposite side faces of said handle to prevent lateral swinging of said locking means when suspended from said shackle.

4. The improvement in locker installations as defined in claim 1 wherein said opening in said handle is of noncircular configuration and said lug means comprises a pair of spaced projections, said non-circular opening having a longer axis positioned in a generally horizontal plane to facilitate insertion and removal of said shackle having said projections thereon.

5. The improvement in locker installations as defined in claim 2 wherein said lug means consists of a plurality of notch means in an arcuate portion of said shackle, thereby forming lug means.

6. A locker installation including a locker door having a handle thereon, said handle being movable relative to said door to facilitate release of a catch means and permit unlatching of said door for opening thereof, a padlock eye formed in said handle, an obstruction means carried on said door and disposed for cooperation with said padlock eye of said handle, a padlock having a body portion and a shackle, said shackle being positioned in said padlock eye to suspend said body portion from said handle, a portion of said shackle being engageable with said obstruction means whereby said handle is prevented from moving relative to said obstruction means, and means engageable with said handle to prevent swinging of said padlock body relative to said handle whereby damage to said locker is prevented.

7. The locker installation as defined in claim 6 wherein said means to prevent swinging of said padlock body relative to said handle comprises lug means formed in said shackle of said padlock and engageable with said handle to preclude lateral swinging of said padlock body.

8. The locker installation of claim 7 wherein said lug means comprises a pair of laterally spaced projections extending in a direction away from said padlock body, said projections having shoulders thereon for engagement with side face portions of said locker handle.

9. The locker installation of claim 7 wherein said padlock eye is of non-circular configuration to permit passage of said projections when inserting said shackle.

10. The locker installation of claim 6 wherein said means to prevent swinging of said padlock body relative to said handle comprises a plurality of serrations in a bight portion of said shackle.

11. The locker installation defined in claim 6 wherein said padlock eye is of elliptical shape, having the major axis thereof in a generally horizontal plane and saidlug means comprises a pair of projections formed on a bight portion of said shackle, said projections being arranged for positioning in a horizontal plane to permit passage through said padlock eye and being movable to a generally vertical position.

12. An anti-swing padlock having a padlock body and shackle portion, said shackle portion including a bight portion adapted for positioning in padlock eye openings formed in a locker handle and lug means projecting outwardly from said bight portion of said shackle, said lug means being located in spaced relation for engagement with said locker handle to prevent lateral swinging of said padlock body relative to said handle in the plane of said shackle.

13. The anti-swing padlock of claim 12 wherein said lug means located in said bight portion of said shackle includes a. plurality of transversely extending grooves, said 7 8 grooves being adapted to engage portions of said locker FOREIGN PATENTS handle to prevent movement of said padlock body. 70,659 7/1915 Austria.

References Cited RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 EDWARD J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner 1,348,001 7/1920 Fohn 70-81 X 1,532,245 4/1925 Kaser 70--81 US. Cl. X.R.

2,071,732 2/1937 Crilly 70-81 X 70-53 

